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Featured Photographer

"Chris Palmer"

Our featured photographer is
selected from our readers.

Chris
was introduced to photography by his enthusiastic father, who used to
make black and white prints in the family kitchen, (suitably blacked
out with blankets and bin liners). Gradually he learned about
photography, and printing, as he grew up, moving from a Kodak Brownie
to a Voigtlander, and then to a Pentax Spotmatic.

Upon
leaving school he trained to become an air traffic controller, and
purchased his first Nikon, ( a brand he has supported ever
since). He then joined a local thriving camera club, and learned
more about photography from supportive club members, and the visiting
lecturers and judges.

Icelandic Ponies -
Competition Winner

By now Chris was married and making his own monochrome prints in a
converted bedroom. A fellow member of his club gained their
Associateship of the RPS,
and this spurred Chris to do similarly, with a set of traditionally
printed black and white prints featuring primarily candid and sports
images. Competitive photography with slides by then had become
the norm, with the occasional conversion to a print using initially
Cibachrome, but subsequently and more successfully with Fufichrome R3
with Photocolour Chrome R chemistry.

Chris then concentrated more exclusively on landscape photography,
which led to a successful partnership with Paul Foley FRPS running
trips together with Spirit & Vision Landscape Photographic
Workshops.

In 1986 Chris attended a judging workshop and seminar, and following
positive feedback on his performance accepted an invitation to join a
judges list. His popularity as a judge has seen him assessing
increasingly higher profile competitions, from regional to national,
and now international exhibitions. A particular achievement was his promotion
to the national PAGB (Photographic Alliance of Great Britain) Judges
List,
which then saw him judging at Connahs Quay and Warwick University
successively at their national print and PDI competitions, (the
photographic equivalent of the FA cup final!)

An air traffic posting from London to Fareham in Hampshire in 2001 led
Chris to join Southampton CC, and to become involved in running their
International Salon, something he has continued to the present day, now
acting as the Vice Chairman.

Strong links with the Royal Photographic
Society
led to an invitation to join their assessment panel for
Licentiateships, and having served an 8 year term, he has just been
re-appointed for further 2 years.

Chris was able to retire from air traffic just over two years ago,
(it's now safe to fly!) and this has allowed him to spend more time
printing, supported by Fotospeed, and their materials. This has
resulted in a new print lecture which is attracting interest and
bookings from camera clubs far and wide. International
exhibitions are another interest and having gained his AFIAP, Chris is
now well on the way to qualifying at the next level - EFIAP.

The ethos behind Chris's
photography has always been to get the image right at the taking stage,
(a philosophy imposed upon any photographer who shoots colour
transparencies). His images are generally quiet, gentle, pleasing
on the eye, and show his ability to produce strong balanced
compositions using appropriate light.

We are delighted to feature Chris's work and look forward to the
possibility of doing the same for you. If you would like to be
considered as our featured photographer, just post one of your images
on our FaceBook
Page with the title - "Featured Fotos".